Anticipating and Assessing Health Care Technology

and Summary.- What is Technology Assessment?.- Diffusion of Health Care Technology.- Identifying Future Health Care Technology.- A System for Health Care Technology Assessment.- International Implications.- Policy Conclusions.- Organization of This Report.- I - Technological Change in Health Care and Its Implications for Society.- The Role of Technology in Society.- A Definition of Health Care Technology.- The Concept of Health.- Historical Perspective on Health Care Technology and Its Implications.- Implications of Health Care Technology in the Present.- Future Perspective on Health Care Technology.- Conclusion.- II - Development and Diffusion of Health Care Technology.- Biomedical Research and Technology Development.- Diffusion of Health Care Technology.- Conclusion.- III - Identifying and Assessing Health Care Technology.- What is Technology Assessment?.- Using Technology Assessment in Policy Mechanisms.- Analysis of Future Health Care Technology.- A System for Identifying Future Health Care Technology.- Prospective Assessments of Health Care Technology.- A System for Assessing Health Care Technology.- Conclusion.- IV - Anticipated Changes in Health Care Technology.- Health Care Technology and Its Effects on Health.- Technological Areas of Importance.- 1. Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.- 2. Nutrition.- 3. Social Interventions.- 4. The Brain, Behavior, and Mental Health.- 5. Reproduction and Fetal and Child Health.- 6. Medical Imaging and Other Diagnostic Technologies.- 7. Biotechnology-Related Developments.- 8. Biologies and Pharmaceuticals.- 9. Blood Banking.- 10. Artificial and Transplanted Organs and Tissues.- 11. Laser Technology.- 12. Other Progress in Surgery-Related Technology.- 13. Other Therapeutic Advances.- 14. Oral Health.- 15. Alternative Therapy.- 16. The Computer: Clinical Applications.- 17. The Computer: Organizational and Analytical Applications.- 18. Basic and Applied Sciences.- Conclusion.- V - The Health Policy Structure of the Netherlands.- Policy Toward Research and Development.- Policy Toward Assessment of Health Care Technology.- Regulation of Drugs and Biologies for Efficacy and Safety.- Regulation and Evaluation of Medical Devices (Equipment).- Policies in the Health Care Delivery System.- Financing of Health Care.- Controls on Technology.- Quality Assurance.- Conclusion.- VI - The International Context for Health Care Technology.- An International Perspective on Health-Related Research.- The Multi-National Industry.- National Efforts in Technology Assessment.- International Efforts in Technology Assessment.- Conclusion.- VII - Policy Conclusions.- Conclusions.- Conclusion 1: A Permanent, Well-funded System for Technology Assessment in Health Care Should be Developed in the Netherlands.- The Role of Future Studies of Health Care Technology in a System for Health Care Technology Assessment.- Why Must a Sytem to Examine Future Technology be Part of an Overall System for Health Care Technology Assessment?.- Key Issues to be Addressed by a National Program for Health Care Technology Assessment.- Conclusion 2: Existing Policies Need to be Examined for their Effects on Health Care Technology Development and Use.- Conclusion 3: International Networks for the Collection and Exchange of Information from Health Care Technology Assessments are Needed.- A Strategic Approach to Developing a Technology Assessment System.- The Health Council.- TNO.- RIVM.- Sick Funds and Sick Funds Council.- Private Insurance Companies.- Hospitals and Universities, and the National Hospital Institute.- Physicians and Physician Associations.- Other Health Care Providers.- CBO.- Industry.- The General Public.- Appendixes.- A. Financial Costs of Health Care Technology.- B. Technological Forecasting.- C. Method of the Study.- D. Acknowledgements.- E. Glossary of Terms.- F. Glossary of Acronyms.- G. References.